Do you reload?

I didn't expect as many yes votes either.

I have a stache of Commercial Ammunition in the following
45acp
9mm
223 Rem/5.56x45
7.62x51
30-06

However I have not shot any commercial ammunition in a few years -- everything I have shot is my reloads off of 1 of my Dillon 550's or Lee Single Stage.

Got into reloading because of a Prairie Dog hunt and could not find (or afford) varmint bullets which I can make on the Dillon for $0.30/round.

And a great hobby -- which supports the shootoing hobby.

UK

Had to answer no, I reload but for less than half of my ammunition needs.

i started reloading in 72, I load all handgun , rifle and shotgun callibers I own and a few I dont. I cast my own bullets rifle and pistol. Also do the black powder thing.

I would say I reload for 90% plus of my center fire needs. Just too cost effective not to. Plus gives me a reason to stay in the shop a bit longer.

all centerfire

I actually started reloading due to the prolific .223 brass left at the range.
I run a Hornady Classic lock & Load single stage .
I was 70 yrs old and am beyond careful. I now load for .223 , 30-30 .and 45/70 . I have enough .308 brass now that a H&R single in that chamber is getting a strong look. lol The short 2 years of experience have been enough to convince me that safe reloading practices has been paying off.
The many reloading forums are a wealth of information, but I never stray beyond data listed in reloading manuals as tested. ALWAYS develop loads starting at the published bottom .
I really enjoy reloading .

Yes, since about '65, I have dies and components for all the calibers I own.

I started in 2009 and have been collecting components and dies since. I now reload 100%. Took my first deer with my own load this year 300wsm. pretty cool. A good feeling to say the least and maybe a little proud. One shot, He went down and never got up.

I estimate that since I started reloading a year ago I have made the following rounds:

5.56 = 3700 (plinking)
260 Rem = 3000 (LR precision)
260 AI = 500 (LR precision)
6.5 Grendel = 500 (LR precision)
35 Rem = 150

7850 rounds

So far I reload only for my rifles except for one test batch of 50 rounds of 9mm. I shoot far more rifle rounds than pistol rounds.

I think the topic draws reloaders, so you have some response bias in the survey. However, there has been some pretty massive growth in reloading over the past 4-5 years. I started sometime around 2000 or so, and never looked back for center fire (other than 9mm). At the time, I was kind of unusual among my shooting friends. In the last 12 years I have taught 5 people to reload and at least of them took the same approach of loading almost all their own ammo. The reasons in these cases are reduce cost per shell, improve ammo availability, and in the cases of rifle shooting, improved accuracy.

Do I reload more thn half? I buy defensive ammo about once a year...anything else I make myself.

I have reloaded since the late 60's and now reload for every centerfire rifle caliber that I own. (9 calibers)
I have not bought commercial ammo in years!

Also I cast bullets for all of the handgun calibers that I reload. (7 calibers)

I load 99.9% of everything metallic I shoot. I used to shoot 100% reloaded shot shells, but I have backed off of that a bunch since lead got so expensive. I still load shot shell, just not as much as I did when lead was cheap.

GS

Unless I can get ammo as cheap as I can load it, I don't fire factory ammo. I have 1 factory loaded center fire round in the house. I did just buy 267 pieces of 357 mag for 60 bus though to help a kid afford oral surgery

I've been reloading for everything I own since the late 70's, all on the same old Rock Chucker. I can't seem to wear it out.

I only reload 38 special, though I shoot 9mm as well. Started about two years ago before the panic. I'd seen what happened in 2009, and knew it'd happen again. Thanks to all the helpful people on these forums, I got started with a single stage press, and online supplies. I bought 1000pc of brass from a forum member before I had anything else. It's very satisfying knowing I only spent $6-$8 on a box of 50 38s. The clerks at the range usually look puzzled when I go, and don't need to buy any of their ammo.

Yes.

Yep I load all of my .44
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I couldn't afford to shoot without reloading in 1980.

Ammunition hasn't gotten cheaper (or easier to get) since them.

started rolling my own a few months ago, tired of the lack of available factory ammo and high prices.

I started reloading .45acp in 1973 with a "Lee Loader", graduated to an RCBS single-stage press in 1978. I now load 4 different handgun cartridges and 5 rifle cartridges.

I will still buy a box or two of factory-loaded pistol ammo occasionally, but I haven't bought any factory-loaded rifle ammunition in 25 years, maybe more.
I certainly appreciate the money saved by reloading, but accuracy is my main goal with my rifle ammo. I just can't seem to get the pinpoint accuracy from any factory loaded ammo that I get with my finely-tuned handloads.

So I just keep reloading.

Walter Joe

In short yes. Started reloading in '84, cause I couldn't buy a good predator load for my 270 (100 gr hp) does a fine job on coyote and bobcat, just makes one tiny hole and no exit. I now load for all my cf rifle and pistol, also have a MEC 9000 progressive 12 ga setup.